Amazon offers entertainment memorabilia

SAN FRANCISCO -- As this year's Academy Awards ceremony neared, Internet retail colossus Amazon.com launched an online shop stocked with film, music and television show memorabilia.

The Entertainment Collectibles Store opened its virtual doors on Tuesday at amazon.com/entertainmentcollectibles with more than 350,000 items that included outfits worn by Oscar winners and instruments played by Grammy stars.

A brimmed biker cap once worn by film legend James Dean was offered for US$25,000 while an outfit worn by actress Milla Jovovich in a "Resident Evil" film was priced at US$6,200.

There was a separate category devoted to memorabilia from "Star Wars" films, while an original Argentine poster from the 1933 classic "King Kong" starring Fay Wray was listed for US$60,000.

An electric guitar signed by members of the Led Zeppelin rock band was priced just above US$15,000 and a similar sum was being sought for a guitar bearing signatures from the The Monkees.

And album covers, concert programs, posters, photographs, trading cards, props and more were offered at comparatively modest prices.

"There is something for everyone," Amazon Marketplace Vice President Peter Faricy said of Entertainment Collectibles.

"Fans will find keepsake items from their favorite artists, actors and icons of entertainment, and aficionados will discover some of the rarest items for their collections."

Also heading for the Collectibles shop are clothes worn in "Silver Linings Playbook," which is among the contenders at the Oscar ceremony on Sunday.

The new Amazon.com shop will act as a marketplace for a number of retailers, including entertainment memorabilia specialty firm Premiere Props, the retailer behind some of the higher ticket collectibles already on offer.

"We have been in the collectible business working with film studios and collectors for over 14 years, and we are very excited to expand our reach to Amazon's worldwide customer base," said Premiere Executive Vice President Daniel Levin.